The Osceola times., 1887-10-08

INTO double pocket that my wife has
made between my vest and my shirt.
With my overcoat buttoned from top to
bottom over this secret pocket, 1 think
the pickpockets would have to be prct-
ty cunning to steal my money! He
went 10 the fair and defed every un-
known passer-by in whom he thought
he recognized the famous pickpockets
OF whom he had talked so much. Al
an extra precaution he held his hands
carefully crossed over his breast-a
certain sign for the pickpocket that
that was where his money was secured.
This is the way he was despoiled of il:
A long, thin lamp-wick was dextrously
put down his back and lighted at an
end left above his coat collar. The
mdins and aohnes awaited results.
When the fire reached his neck he
yelled and hoped about like a mad
man, and the mains kindly rushed to
his assistance. They found it neces-
sary, of course. to strip of his coat. and
it hardly need be told that his money
was soon in their possession.
"The imagination of pickpockets is
fertile in ingenious stratagems. They
smell out, as it were, the good tricks
to take, and like to operate on a large
scale. When n big robbery has been
planned, and the robbers are sure Of n
big stake, every means is put in use TO
obtain it. Their intelligence always
gives birth TO the shrewdes. combina-
tons. Not long ago a wealthy con-
tractor drew sixty-five thousand francs
from bank, put il into a small hand
satchel, and got into a carriage to be
driven to the Hotel de Vile. The car
riage had not gone three hundred feet
before the money was stolen. The
thing seemed inexplicable, but it had
been easy enough for the robbers. The
carriage had scarcely left the bank
when several persons rushed into the
street and picked up man who was
screaming as il frightfully injured. 1t
was supposed that he had been inn
over by an omnibus which had just
gone by at rapid pace. In appear
ance he seemed seriously wounded. In
reality he was not hurt ut all, and Just
here was the mystery of the robbery.
The clever thieves had invented this
scheme to attract attention, and thanks
to its success an accomplicc of the
u+,un1ai ,,au b,J e.oJo,
the satchel from the carriage while the
owner was leaning out of the window
to see what bad happened, .t
"In this class of pickpockets you
have designated only men; but among
the women you must have found curl
Gus types?'
"Not many. You see them at the
stations, at the boat landings,
AT the theaters, on the promenades. in
the museums, and in the large stores.
They attack only women. They nrs
intelligent, shrewd and audacious.
Germany sends us the greatest number
OF female pickpockets, but they arr
not the most adroit The Englst
women have carried this kind of rob
berry almost to the height of ar
art. Maneuvering from choice with
the left hand, they always keep
the right hand gloyed. Span
ish women are easily recognized,
Small, sprightly. dark skinned, they
slip into the crowds with great vivacity.
If they are warned that q detective is
near, they turn TO him and try to en-
gage him in conversation. The French
women are skillful, but too much occn-
pied with the practical results of rob
berry to succeed. They are always in
a hurry to ascertain the contents OF
their stolen purses, and this often
leads to their capture.
The women are constantly inventjng
new tricks in the art of stealing. In
a large store, the other day, woman
was detected who carried baby of
eighteen or twenty months old on her
left arm, with its legs and feet hang
ing down in such a way as TO conceal
her work with her right hand. At the
moment she lightly tickled
the child's legs with her left hand while
with her right she rummaged in the
pockets of the lady customers. If the
person whose pocket she was picking
felt touch and turned upon her, she
gave tho baby few taps. saying:
keep your feet still; YOU will soil
dress. which was sufficient
to avert all suspicion. A new KIND
Of pickpoeket was lately discovered.
1t was boy, hardly ten years cid.
at an omnibus station. With
his hands in his oyercoat pockets he
lespoiled victim after victim. and IL
any of them were inclined 20 susrec:
him they were reassTed by his iAof.
fcnsive attitude. A. for pock cts. tht
had only the exterior ol ell.
ings, and the boy could thrust his ha lds
among the crowd without taking theiI
out of whatappeared to be his pockets.
Chicago Times.
- -
Gold in WASH Basins.
AZ 4 i